Merry Christmas To You All!

 

A Christmas decoration piece in a Home Sense store in Scarborough, Toronto

Photo by Jerome D'Costa

Merry Christmas to You All!

Photo (Santa Claus' sleigh and other paraphernalia
on a lawn on Huntingwood Drive, Scarborough, Toronto)
© Jerome D'Costa (Nov. 2019)

Merry Christmas To You All!

Photo (Christmas lights in Toronto: Dec. 27, 2017) © Jerome D'Costa

Pope Francis Berates the Roman Curia In His Pre-Christmas Address

Pope Francis addresses members of the Roman Curia on Dec. 21, 2017

Photo courtesy: Vatican News

Like some other years in the recent past, Pope Francis addressed the Roman Curia (Vatican's bureaucratic officials under him) and greeted them. At the same time, he did not lose the opportunity to publicly remind them of their failings as well as their resistance to his reforms. 

Pope Francis, in his address, rebuked the ''traitors'' among the Curia members and also "unbalanced and debased mindset of plots and small cliques." He also mentioned that some Vatican bureaucratic officials "when they are quietly sidelined, wrongfully declare themselves martyrs of the system" rather than acknowledging their own failures.

For more details, please read the following:

• Pope to Roman Curia: Be faithful to the Petrine Office (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Pope Francis: Reform of the Roman Curia is harmed by the conspiracies of minority (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Pope to Curia: 'Betrayers of trust' are frustrating Vatican reform (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Curia exists for service, not for glory, pope says (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Pope Francis says reforming Vatican as hard as cleaning Sphinx with toothbrush (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Pope condemns 'cancer' of cliques in Christmas message to staff (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Pope rips 'traitors' in Christmas message to Roman Curia (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Pope upbraids Vatican bureaucracy: Serve the world, not 'degraded logic of small cliques' (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Pope's Christmas greetings to Roman Curia: building bridges with the outside world (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Pope Francis Calls Curia to Adopt External View (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Pope to Curia: 'Betrayers of trust' are frustrating Vatican reform (Dec. 21, 2017)
• Pope's ferocity with Roman Curia straight out of Jesuit playbook (Dec. 22, 2017)
• Christmas Greetings of Pope Francis to Roman Curia (Dec. 21, 2017) [Youtube video]
• Christmas Greetings to the Roman Curia: Address of His Holiness Pope Francis (Dec. 21, 2017) [Full Text]

Previous Christmas Addresses of Pope Francis 

to the Roman Curia:

2013: 

• Pope to Curia: An end to the role of 'inspector and inquisitor' (Dec. 21, 2013)
• Pope Francis gives Christmas message to Vatican Staff, priests (Dec. 21, 2013)
• Be professional, shun gossip, Pope tells Vatican administrators (Dec. 21, 2013)
• [Video] Pope Francis to Curia: professionalism, service, holiness (Dec. 22, 2013)
• Presentation of the Christmas Greetings to the Roman Curia: Address of Pope Francis (Dec. 21, 2013) [Full Text] [The pope emphasized on the professionalism and service of the Curia members]

2014:

• Pope Francis: the fifteen 'diseases of the Curia' (Dec. 22, 2014)
• Pope Francis makes scathing critique of Vatican officials in Curia speech (Dec. 22, 2014)
• Pope issues scathing critique of Vatican bureaucracy in pre-Christmas meeting (Dec. 22, 2014)
• Pope Francis: Christmas greetings to Curia (Dec. 22, 2014)
• Pope Francis' 15 'new commandments' for Vatican staff (Dec. 22, 2014)
• Francis Uses Christmas Speech to Criticize Vatican Bureaucracy (Dec. 22, 2014)
• [Video] Christmas Greetings of Pope Francis to the Roman Curia (Dec. 22, 2014)
• Presentation of the Christmas Greetings to the Roman Curia: Address of His Holiness Pope Francis (Dec. 22, 2014) [Full Text]

2015:

• In Christmas address, Pope Francis asks Roman Curia to cultivate 24 'needed virtues' (Dec. 21, 2015)
• Pope Francis' Own Listicle of "Needed Virtues" (Dec. 22, 2015)
• Pope outlines 'needed virtues' to Roman Curia (Dec. 22, 2015)
• [Video] Christmas Greetings of Pope Francis to Roman Curia (Dec. 21, 2015)
• [Video] Pope Francis includes '12 medicines' with his Christmas greetingds to the Roman Curia (Dec. 21, 2015)
• Presentation of the Christmas Greetings to the Roman Curia: Address of His Holiness Pope Francis (Dec. 21, 2015) [Full Text]

2016:

• Pope Lays Out Guiding Principles of Roman Curia Reform (Dec. 22, 2016)
• Pope Francis lays out 12 guiding principles for reform of the Roman Curia (Dec. 22, 2016)
• Pope lays out 12-step programme to reform the Roman Curia (Dec. 22, 2016)
• Pope Francis calls for 'Unconditioned Obedience' to Achieve Curial Reform (Dec. 22, 2016)
• Pope Francis surprises Vatican officials with frank talk of Roman Curia reform (Dec. 22, 2016)
• Pope Francis' speech to the Roman Curia (Dec. 22, 2016)
• Francis denounces resistance to Vatican reform in Christmas speech to curia (Dec. 22, 2016)
• [Video] Christmas Greetings of Pope Francis to Roman Curia (Dec. 22, 2016)
• Presentation of the Christmas Greetings to the Roman Curia: Address of His Holiness Pope Francis (Dec. 22, 2016) [Full Text]

Related Items:

• Clericalism And Its Corroding Effects in the Catholic Church (Sept. 19, 2018)
• Pope Francis Asks Priests and Bishops To Be 'Smelly Shepherds,' Not 'Wolves' (Oct. 1, 2018)
• Vatican Scandals and Reforms of Pope Francis (Dec. 31, 2016)

(Updated on Oct. 4, 2018)

Merry Christmas to You All!

Image design by Jerome D'Costa

Merry Christmas to You All!

Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus in the manger

Artwork by Mary D'Costa (Dec. 24, 2015)

Merry Christmas to You All!

Today is the Christmas. Christians all over the world observe their Saviour Jesus Christ’s birthday with solemnity and festivity. 

Christ’s birth reminds them of the love of God for mankind. Jesus Christ, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, took the human form and came to this world to save mankind by expiating for their sins through his suffering, death and resurrection.

On this auspicious day, we wish you all a Merry Christmas!

To know more on Christmas, you may visit the following:

• Christmas
• Catholic Traditions for Advent and Christmas
•  Bangladesh Canada and Beyond: CHRISTMAS

A banner in front of St. Lawrence the Martyr Church, Toronto, urges people to "keep Christ in Christmas"

A giant Christmas crib in front of the same church mentioned above

Christmas lighting in front of a house

Christmas trees on sale in a gift store

A man dressed as Santa Claus gives a chance for a fee here to children to pose with him for photographs in a shopping mall

Sample of a postcard that millions of children write to the Santa Claus every year

A shop display of women's dresses during this Christmas season

A Santa Claus balloon on a car sales shop

Small potted Christmas trees on sale in a store

A lighted Christmas tree, on the left, in the commercial district of Toronto

A man dressed as a Santa Claus greets customers in a shopping mall

Christmas lighting in front of another house

Photos (Toronto: December, 2014) © Jerome D'Costa

Merry Christmas!

Mary with baby Jesus

Doodle (Dhaka: January 1, 1993) © Jerome D'Costa

Today is the Christmas Day, the day of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. 

On this day, may the joy and love of Christmas be with you and your near and dear ones!

To read more on Christmas, visit my past blog posts at: Today Is the Christmas Day!

Today Is the Christmas Day!

Christmas in Bangali (Bengalee) style: 

St. Joseph and Mary with baby Jesus wearing Bangali dresses

Painting (Toronto: 1998) © Joachim Romeo D'Costa

Merry Christmas to you all! May the peace of Christ abide with you. 

To read more on the Christmas, you may visit our past blog posts: 

• Merry Christmas!

• Merry Christmas, or Happy Holiday?

• Merry Christmas!
• Christmas Sans Christ = Nochristmas
• Let's Keep Christ in Christmas
• The Meaning and Significance of Christmas
• Pitha-Pulis Play a Great Role in Bangalis' Christmas
  

The Meaning and Significance of Christmas

The Magi (three wise men from the East, on the left)
and a shepherd (right) paying homage to
new-born saviour Jesus Christ in Bethlehem

Painting (Toronto: December 24, 2010) © Joachim Romeo D'Costa

Today is December 25, the day of Christmas. Christmas conjures up an image of gaiety, fun, festivity, colourful costumes, exchange of gifts, and gastronomic feasting in our minds. It overshadows any speck of sorrow, pain and deprivation that we might experience in our day to day life.

The word 'Christmas' comes from two Old English words Cristes Maesse, which mean the "Mass of Christ" -- in other words, the liturgical service of Christ. These two words were first used publicly in 1038 A.D. The shorter written form of 'Christmas' is 'X-Mas.' In Greek language, 'X' stands for 'Christ' (although written with 'X', 'X-mas' in English should be pronounced as 'Christmas').

Christmas commemorates the incarnation of the second person of the Blessed Trinity at the birth of Jesus Christ. The Gospel (of the Bible) mentions that "the Word became flesh" (John 1:14). God became a human being to save men and women from sin and live among them. Without losing his divine nature Jesus assumed human nature. He is true God and true man. After the Easter or Resurrection of Christ, Christmas is the second most important celebration in the Christian Churches.

God's Promise of a Messiah

After their creation, the first man and woman -- Adam and Eve -- were told to enjoy everything in the Garden of Eden except the fruits of a particular tree, called the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God had given the free will to Adam and his wife. Satan, one of the angels who were previously chased out of the heaven by God because of their extreme pride and free will, took the opportunity to tempt the newly-created human beings. Satan told them to eat the forbidden fruit and thereby be equal to God in power and wisdom. Due to their free will, Adam and Eve decided to defy God and listen to Satan's alluring advice. Ultimately, they ate the fruit and became awar of their disobedient behaviour against God. Thus, sin entered mankind for the first time. This sin is called the Original Sin, which automatically passes from one human generation to another.

Although God threw Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, he did not totally abandon them or their descendants. He promised to send a Messiah or Saviour to same mankind from sin. God told Satan: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel," (Genesis 4:15 of the Bible). Prophet Isiah also prophesied: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel [God with us]," (Isiah 7:14). This prophecy was fulfilled later and we find proof of that in Matthew 1: 20-24. About 800 years before the birth of Jesus, prophet Micah prophesied (Micah 5:1) that the Messiah the Messiah would be born in Jerusalem and it was ultimately realized (Matthew 3:1-3). There were other promises of God and prophecies of prophets regarding the Messiah and all of them were fulfilled with the birth and life of Jesus Christ. The word 'Christ' means 'anointed.' St. Peter says: "God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power," (Acts of the Apostles 10:38).

December 25 Assigned As Christ's Birthday

No one knows the exact day or date of Jesus' birth. There is no written record of it. The December 25 that we observe as the birthday of Jesus had been arbitrarily fixed by the authority of the Catholic Church. The early Christians and the Catholic Church did not bother to observe Jesus' birth. St. Mark's Gospel was the first book of the New Testament of the Bible written in about 65 A.D. The other Gospels and books were written later on. None of these books mentions of Christians observing Christmas.

The Romans were pagans, worshipping numerous gods and goddesses. Their empire comprised of countries (most of Europe, West Asia and North Africa) around the Mediterranean Sea. In Rome, these pagans observed the annual festival of the Roman god Saturn, called Saturnalia. This started on December 17 and culminated on December 25. In these days, the Romans were allowed to be rowdy indulging in unbridled behaviour of eating, drinking, and sexual activities. In 274 A.D., Roman emperor Aurelian designated December 25 as the birthday of the sun god, Sol Invictus (the unconquered sun). This day also fell on the winter solstice. When Romans became Christians, some of these cultural traditions, although inappropriate for Christianity, continued among them. To counter these pagan practices and divert the Christians' focus and attention to Christ, the Catholic Church in the early 4th century designated December 25 as the birthday of Jesus Christ. From that time onwards Christmas is being celebrated on that date.

Numerous religious and social Christmas customs and traditions (such as Advent preparations, Christmas wreaths, Christmas trees, Christmas gifts, Christmas decorations, Santa Claus, Christmas carols, Christmas plays, and Christmas feastings) gradually developed in different parts of the world.

The Significance of Christmas

Christmas is important to the Christians, because:

• With the birth of Christ, God's promise of a Saviour is fulfilled. The salvation history also comes to a full circle.
• The prophecies of the Old Testament prophets and the announcement of St. John the Baptist regarding the birth and life of Jesus Christ are also fulfilled.
• Jesus was born in a poor and humble environment. He did not come as a king or conqueror. His poverty and humility made him easily acceptable to the majority of the people who also live in poverty. They, therefore, could easily empathize with him. His lifelong example of neighbourly love makes a significant impression in the hearts of people.
• After coming to the earth, Jesus preached the good news of salvation. Through his death he expiated for our sins and opened the door for the forgiveness of and reconciliation with God. Thus salvation became accessible to mankind.

Let us observe the Christmas in a befitting manner. Let Christ be the focus of Christmas. Let Christ be alive in our heart and soul. May the joy of Christmas fill our hearts.

Let's Keep Christ in Christmas

A doodle on Christmas

Doodle (Dhaka: July 21, 1992) © Jerome D'Costa

Christians in the West are increasingly becoming victims of aggressive secularization. As a result, they are banishing Christian symbols and practices from their life. Pope Benedict has repeatedly warned Europeans of this dangerous trend and its adverse consequences.

Even there are intolerance and discrimination against Christians in Europe. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Director of the Vatican Press Office, recently denounced this trend, too.

In addition, atheists are openly ridiculing and denouncing religious beliefs of Christians. They are telling Christians not to say "Merry Christmas." Many Christians, being confused, are afraid of offending people by saying "Merry Christmas," but they do not realize that Christmas without Christ is no Christmas.

Keep Christ in Christmas

Those, who are Christians, should not be afraid of keeping Christ in Christmas. We should greet in a Christian way and use Christian symbols and practices during Christmas season. Christ is a part and parcel of our Christian identity. So why be afraid to have this identity? Other non-Christians have the right to keep their own identity.

There are websites and blogs that can help you plan your observance of Christmas in a Christian way. Some of these are:

• Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas
• Knights of Columbus: Keep Christ in Christmas -- Action Steps
• Keep Christ in Christmas
• Suite 101.com: Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas
• Facebook: Keep Christ in Christmas
• YouTube: Keep Christmas in Christmas

Christmas Sans Christ = Nochristmas

_

A Christmas creche (representation of Jesus' nativity scene)
in front of St. Lawrence the Martyr Church in Toronto

A Knights of Columbus banner, beside the above creche,
urging Catholics to keep Christ in the centre of Christmas
Photos (Toronto: December 20, 2009) © Jerome D'Costa

Dechristianization of Christmas

A kind of dechristianization of Christmas is going on in the West. There's an increasing tendency or an ongoing movement in Europe, Australia and North America, not to include Christ or story of Christ in Christmas. Commercial, corporate, media and even many social situations are bereft of Christ, although they profess to observe Christmas every year.

In the name of the separation of the Church and the State, in the name of science, Christ is falling through the cracks into oblivion. A group of atheists are playing a leading role in this.

Shopping malls, previously, used to display Christ's birth with statues or pictures of Christ, Mary, Joseph, three Magis, shepherds and angels in the stable of Bethlehem. Presently, these are almost gone. They are being replaced with only Santa Claus, Randolph the reindeer, and elves, with music and songs with no mention of Christ or Christ's birth.

Christmas Greetings Under Attack

Even in the Christmas greetings certain people are interfering and trying to impose "Happy Holidays!" in place of "Merry Christmas!" If a Christian can't even greet someone according to his or her own religious custom (similarly, if other religionists can't greet others in their own religious way), then what kind of democracy are we professing?

Keep Christ in Christmas

Different Catholic and Protestant groups in the West are rising up to the occasion and emphasizing and coaxing Christians "to keep Christ in Christmas." The Knights of Columbus, both in the USA and Canada, takes a special initiative in this matter every year. They want that Christians must be able to practise their own culture according to their own religious beliefs and practices.

To all Christians, Christmas without Christ is no Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

_

A Christmas card in Bangali style! Mary, wearing a sari, is
holding baby Jesus, whereas, Joseph, wearing chador (shawl)
and lungi (sarong) and holding a bamboo staff, keeps on watching
Graphic design (Toronto: Dec., 2009) © Joachim Romeo D'Costa

Today is Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. After Easter -- the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death -- this is the biggest feast day of the Christians.

Christmas means love, compassion and empathy. According to Christian beliefs, Jesus, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, became man to save mankind from sin. Christians all over the world remember this event and celebrate his birth with all solemnity and fanfare.

May the peace of Christ envelop you, may the love of Christ bring greater unity among mankind.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Merry Christmas, or Happy Holiday?

__
Although more than two billion Christians in the world observe Christmas one way or another, it is increasingly becoming a bone of contention between Christians and others who do not believe in it. Most vocal among the latter are atheists who openly resent the observance of Christmas in the public square -- such as government offices, shopping malls, sidewalks and the like. They refer to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that stipulated the principle of separation of the Church and State.

Reciprocation of Greetings

I come from Bangladesh where almost 83% of the total population of over 150 million are Muslims, 16% Hindus, and 1% Buddhists, Christians, and animists. From my experience I can say that on the Muslim feast day of Eid they greet us Eid Mubarak (Blessed Feast or Festival) and on Christmas day we greet them and others Shuvo Borodin (Merry Christmas). In response, we or they reciprocate the greetings by saying the same words. This way we do not become Muslims, neither do they become Christians.

Insistence on Replacing Merry Christmas with Happy Holiday

In the West, especially in North America, atheists and some others want that public religious manifestations, including the Christmas greeting, be banned altogether. They insist that Merry Christmas be replaced with Happy Holiday. Happy Holiday? Which holiday? The week-end holiday of Saturday or Sunday?

Through their writings, posters and other media they bombard Christians with the call for rejection of Christmas, terming it a fictitious story or a legend at best. They propound that there is no historical or scientific basis even for the existence of Jesus Christ, let alone the incarnation of the second person of the Blessed Trinity.

Hitchensian Attempts for Discrediting Religions, including Christianity

Self-avowed atheist Christopher Hitchens wrote an article under the heading "Why I Hate Christmas" in the National Post, a daily newspaper of Canada, on December 23. He enumerated his hate for and the futility of observing Christmas. The whole article oozes out his abhorrence, arrogance and a torrent of negative attitude toward this important feast. He used a dark picture and words that can be abundantly found in the dictionary of negativity.

In response to his article, Ed Tigchelaar, a reader of the National Post aptly mentioned in the Letters to the Editor column: "Christopher Hitchens' column is the voice of a man with a burden. Consider his words: hate, nightmare, core objection, dismal, dreary, sinister, maddening, repetitive ululations (howling, hooting, wailing), objectionable, flung aside, drivel. Contrast [these] with: love, joy, peace, radiance, happiness, adoration, praiseworthy, good naturedly, contentment, satisfaction, light, jingle bells. Who would you rather be? For as a man thinketh, so is he."

There is also a saying: "You are what you eat." In reference to Mr. Hitchens I like to add here that "You are what you write." I remember a quote of the optimistic and smiling pope, John XXIII, who had written in one of his diaries: "I never met a pessimist who accomplished any good."

Religion-jumping (first he was an Anglican, then he joined the Eastern Orthodox Church and later turned into an atheist) and political bed-hopping (first he was a Trotskyite or of the extreme left, and now he is leaning towards the centre and right) Mr. Hitchens plays on words. He uses a lot of double-entendres verging on sarcasm and dark humor. In 1997 before the death of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, he wrote a book, The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice, where he termed Mother Teresa "Hell's Angel" and accused her of accepting donations from shady-charactered politicians and other donors. In 2007, he wrote another book, god Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. In the latter case, he does not want to write the word God with capital g because to him God is only a fictional character. Muslims praise God by saying "Allahu Akbar", meaning "God is Great". Mr. Hitchens tried to show in the book that there is no God and God is not great either. It is interesting to note that Mr. Hitchens made a lucrative career out of dealing negatively with established religions and persons.

In the history of mankind, there were serious attempts by men, including those powerful atheistic leaders of the Soviet Union and China, to erase the very idea of God from the mind of the masses. They have failed miserably. The Soviet Union perhaps was the first country in the world to officially take atheism as the state policy, but within 74 years the country itself disintegrated. The Chinese government is gradually allowing religious practices. The atheistic government of Cuba under the leadership of Fidel Castro ultimately sponsored the Eastern Orthodox Church to erect a cathedral in the country!

Atheists insist on the science as the foundation of belief -- that is, the religious matters should be scientifically proven. It has been established again and again that man cannot live by science alone.

Christmas Greeting

Christians have the right to use Christmas greeting according to their religious conviction. If some people cannot accept that greeting they are not bound to reciprocate. During their feast days people of other religions, too, should be able to greet others according to their customs. If anyone wants to greet differently, e.g. Happy Holiday, let him or her do so. This mutual acceptance and toleration make a society great.

Merry Christmas!

__

Graphic design (Toronto: 2008) © Joachim Romeo D'Costa

Tomorrow is Christmas -- the solemn feast of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christianity it is the second most important feast after the Easter.

Christmas brings joy, hope and a sense of fulfillment to more than two billion Christians in the world. It brings joy because two thousand years ago Christ came to save mankind from the bondage of sin perpetrated by Adam and Eve, the first man and woman. It brings hope, for, through Christ we can overcome evil and lead a godly life. It brings a sense of fulfillment because God's promise of sending a messiah or saviour has been fulfilled with the birth of Jesus.

Christmas has two aspects -- religious and social. Religious tradition comprises special liturgical service and songs commemorating the nativity of Jesus, and the social tradition varies from region to region -- Christmas gift and card exchange, caroling from house to house, decorating Christmas trees, Santa Claus, special illumination and fireworks, wearing new costumes and enjoying local treats.

Again wish you all Shuvo Borodin (Merry Christmas)!